Sure enough, that's a 2011 BMW 535i on the MD Automotive Dynojet chassis dyno in Westminster, California.
BMW's continuing quest to dyno-proof each new model builds strength as its machines become more highly managed every model year. However, our crack team of dyno dorks was once again able to defeat the Bimmer's nervous electronic babysitters. And then, lit by a full array of idiot lights, we witnessed the new N55's full potential.
New N55? That's right, the 3.0-liter straight-6 which replaces the twin-turbo N54, features a single, twin-scroll turbo instead of two single-scroll turbos plumbed in parallel. It utilizes direct injection and BMW's Valvetronic technology which throttles the engine by manipulating valve lift. It's coupled to a new eight-speed automatic transmission. And together the engine and transmission are as anxious as BMW's legal counsel at a product liability trial. Every tickle of the throttle translates to an instant jump in response.
Video and analysis after the jump.
BMW rates the 2011 535i's engine at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque at 1,200 rpm. Given the overachieving performance of recent turbocharged BMW engines on the dyno (like that of our long-term 750i), we were somewhat surprised to see only 277 hp and 283 lb-ft of torque from the new mill.
What's more, the torque curve seems more ponderous than previous twin-turbo N54 engines, wandering uncharacteristically up and down through the rev range before making the inevitable drop after 4,300 rpm. Perhaps you remember our bone-stock BMW 135i long-termer cranking out 285 hp and a platform of torque which peaked at 291 lb-ft.
Still, taking into account drivetrain loss, these numbers certainly verify the 300/300 claim.
Josh Jacquot, Senior Editor
octane77 says:
05:20 PM, 08/26/10
BMW, Please define "Twin Power Turbo" on the engine cover.
Thanks!
ed124c says:
05:29 PM, 08/26/10
Isn't "twin power turbo" kind of a deceptive moniker?
6sptl says:
06:10 PM, 08/26/10
Can't BMW produces 300HP from a 6cylinder the old fashion way? It seems like every other manufacturer makes a decent 300HPplus V6. What is Mr. W's problem?
nealibob says:
06:33 PM, 08/26/10
It says "turbo," not "turbos." It is a twin-scroll turbo, hence "TwinPower."
kevm14 says:
06:51 PM, 08/26/10
I don't want to play the specific output game, but those numbers are basically matched by today's naturally aspirated V6s...
bmwm1 says:
07:16 PM, 08/26/10
What in the world are YOU ALL talking about?
Show me one 3.0 NA V6 or I6 or H6 that makes 300 HP.
All the engines you all are talking about are at least 3.5-3.8 liter's V6's.
Of course BMW could build a NA I6 with 300+ HP, it's not rocket science. All they would have to do is bump up the displacement to 3.5 liters.
Turbo's are the future, you guys better get used to it. I don' t see anyone complaining about the VR38DETT in the GT-R. That and the 911 Turbo's H6 are perfect examples of Turbo prowess.
church123 says:
07:31 PM, 08/26/10
Dyno plot please!
fabrizzio_71 says:
07:36 PM, 08/26/10
I'm with bmwm1. Engines today rarely make more than 80 hp/liter without turbocharging. I thought it was already established in testing that BMW's N54 twin turbo was fairly conservatively rated, and thus by using this new N55 engine in base models, BMW can use the N54 in sportier variants (like the 335 is) and up the output rating. To me it seems like a marketing scheme which is what many people suspected when BMW first announced the new engine. In any case, I doubt BMW is tuning either of their N series engines to full capacity (within safe limits of course).
allthingshonda says:
08:08 PM, 08/26/10
BMW went with forced induction to increase horsepower without having increase engine size.
All those naturally aspirated engines you speak of are 3.5 liters or more. This also increases NVH. Nissan's VQ 3.7 engine is great because it has as much or more power than some V8s. Unfortunately it runs like a truck engine now because of it's size. The original 3.0 VQ that debuted many years ago gives up almost 200 horses to it's modern version but that old engine was much smoother in operation than this one. This is one of the reasons I am disappointed in Honda giving up on the old J30 engine family and going to the J35 used today. They should have taken BMW route and re-engineer the 3.0 V6 by switching to DOHC and direct injection and throwing in a turbo. Same smooth silky operation that made it famous, at least 300 horses (the old naturally aspirated version made 244) increased fuel economy etc.
I always wondered why BMW gave up on the twin turbos and went with the single turbo. This test shows why they originally went with twin turbos. BMW (and Ford with Ecoboost) stated that two turbos allowed for quick spool up at lower RPMs for the smaller turbo and sustained linear power delivery when the larger turbo kicked in. I think BMW engineering knows about a long term durablility problem that hasn't reared it's ugly head yet. Those N54 engines always had a problem with high oil temperatures and those vehicles don't have any oil temperature indicators with the exception of a complete shut down of the engine when temps got over 300 degrees as a last resort measure. Continued use at high temps will definitely cause increased engine wear. If you pay attention to details you will notice that all new N55 equipped cars have an oil temp gauge. I was told (and no I don't know if it's true) that Ford got around the oil temp problem by bolting on an external oil cooler from the F series parts bin and threw in some high powered cooling fans. Simple solutions.
cocojoe53 says:
08:18 PM, 08/26/10
Well, regardless of how one might feel about Turbo versus increased displacement to acheive a particular power level, the new 5 series suffers from so so handling and a new electric power steering that is terrible. I Love inline 6 engines, but a V6 such as the one in the 2011 Mustang acheives greater power levels with better MPG. So much for Turbos being the wave of the future
kandhroque says:
09:02 PM, 08/26/10
The difference between a 300 hp 3.5 liter engine and a 300 hp 3.0 turbo is the TORQUE.
I owned an '05 Infiniti G35 (298 hp) 6MT and have an '08 BMW 335i N54 twin turbo auto. The day to day drivability of the 335i is much better with instant torque and NO turbo lag. In my old G35 I had to downshift a couple gears to pick up speed quickly. Not so in the 335. The 335 is much more fun to drive in the city. The 335 also feels much faster. The reliability factor and electronic issues are another story.
church123 says:
09:24 PM, 08/26/10
@cocojoe53
...while the new Ford 3.7 is light years ahead of the old 4.0 liter, I don't think it is safe to say that it produces more power and fuel economy than the N55. Why? Because ratings vary, and despite having an automatic and output less than the old N54 motor, the new N55 still seems to put down more power and a lot more torque than any dyno I've seen for the Ford 3.7. On the fuel economy front, weight is the enemy, and the BMW is a lot heavier than the Mustang V6. Additionally, we all know that the EPA tests are not the most accurate.
While I prefer NA engines when possible, I agree with the other posters that turbos are the way of the future. It is currently the only way to meet more stringent emissions and fuel economy regs while producing the requisite power that consumers demand.
mustang5507 says:
09:33 PM, 08/26/10
@church123
You are right, the EPA estimates are usually not the most accurate. While I tend to match their ratings in urban driving, on the highway (and thus combined), I typically beat the EPA ratings. By a more than slightly significant margin. And no, I'm not a hypermiler.
dearsx says:
09:41 PM, 08/26/10
BMW inline 6 engines have always had bad mpgs, no? I have not driven a 335i, but I have drive the 328xi and G35, I was happy with the power. I'm not sure I'd pick a turbo engine cause of the responses.
blueguydotcom says:
09:51 PM, 08/26/10
The results seem to indicate the N55 is down on power from the N54. This dovetails with most comments about the N55 feeling a little less interested. It also explains why the N54 is still used in the 335is and the upcoming 1 Series M.
@6sptl -- name a manu that makes 300 hp from a 3 liter engine. Tick tock...
@dearsx - after 3 BMWs with inline 6s, the answer is no. My 335i would get 21-22- around town with a 50/50 split of city/hwgy and tons of WOT. The open freeway 29-30 mpgs was possible. My 2006 330i easily netted 23 around town and 31-32 freeway at 80 or so. Ditto my 2006 330i. Now when I've had loaners - always automatic - my MPGs have dropped like a rock.
Of course I have only had manuals as daily drivers. I'd expect, regardless of the epa claims that an automatic will continue to deliver worse mileage.
Funny someone mentioned the 335i being fun because he didn't have to downshift. That drove me nuts about it. Found it insanely boring. I don't drive performance cars so I can stab the pedal and go. I drive so I can wring the engine out (not much to wring in the turbo 6) and play with the torque delivery. My 330i ZHP was twice as fun as the 335i.
tsdriver27 says:
10:00 PM, 08/26/10
What was the outside air temp. during the dyno runs? It's been in the mid to high 90's here in So-Cal recently... Not sure if the CPU will compensate to hit it's boost targets with reduced air density due to intake air temps...
church123 says:
10:28 PM, 08/26/10
Good point tsdriver27. Makes you wonder what the intercooler config is on the 535. Is it front mount, side mount, what? The fan at MD is pretty good, but it won't force a lot of air through a circuitous intercooler location. You need really close coupled fans moving a lot of air to do that. Excessive intake temps might explain the wandering torque curve as the BMW ECU will do a lot to protect itself.
spdracerut says:
11:24 PM, 08/26/10
Yeah...I was thinking either hot air temps or a bad tank of gas causing knock, and therefore the really wavey torque curve.
wideturnone says:
04:57 AM, 08/27/10
I'm very surprised that the N55 only hits 300/300 for power. Forget the 3.5 -3.7 L na engines making this amount, I would think that the 2-2.5l 4's that Subaru and Mitsubishi run in the 300 range would suggest that BMW should be generating more power/torque. Even my Volvo V70R makes the same 300/300 power ratings using a 2.5l inline 5 with single scroll turbo and I get 19city/25-28 hwy.
jrobusc says:
05:24 AM, 08/27/10
I don't understand what everyone is complaining about output-wise. Even if drivetrain losses were only 10% that means it's actually producing about 308hp and 314lb-ft. At 15% that's 326hp and 333lb-ft. As for comparing the fuel economy to the new Mustang V6 (which is a nonsensical comparison since the two engines are in different cars) -- those power levels are higher than the Mustang, and the (much heavier than a Mustang) 535i is rated at 21/29mpg. That's pretty damn good.
frank908 says:
06:57 AM, 08/27/10
+1 jrobusc
That's exactly what I thought when I read the comment about the comparison of the Mustang V-6. It's like comparing apples to Hostess berry pies.
tibbz says:
07:11 AM, 08/27/10
I have always been respectful of the I-6 Turbo from BMW, but it is about time for a retune/refresh of this. I hope they don't move away form the straight 6 but a power/efficeincy jump would be a great thing to see. All the larger displacement NA 300+ hp engines are one thing but Hyundai and thier 274hp 34mpg I4 is approaching too close to BMW's powertrain (not going in to build quality of course just powertrain). Just my 2cents
ddoouugg says:
07:32 AM, 08/27/10
BMW needs to iron out that mountain range on the graph.
majin_ssj_eric says:
07:44 AM, 08/27/10
BMW themselves got 333 hp out of 3.2 liters in the S54....
rvan1 says:
08:00 AM, 08/27/10
People also need to remember the 135 was a stick and this is an auto, so the losses are a bit higher. I'd bet stick for stick the 535 dynos slightly higher with valvetronic being the reason.
blueguydotcom says:
08:41 AM, 08/27/10
Wait, so people are complaining the 3.0 turbo should be making more power. But someone said that others are getting 300 HP out of a 3.0. Who is doing that with an NA 3.0?
BMW hasn't fully unleashed the power in any of their turbos. Yes, 400 HP from a DI turbo 3.0 doesn't seem out of the question. But it does beg the question - is there a market?
spdracerut says:
08:45 AM, 08/27/10
@windturnone. With regards to the Evo and STI making basically the same peak hp/tq numbers..... Look at their torque curves, they peak way later. This BMW has heaps more torque down low, as you would expect being larger displacement.
cocojoe53 says:
08:53 AM, 08/27/10
All good points, but the very fact Ford is mentioned in the same discussion with BMW tells you how far Ford has come. As far as the future is concerned, it looks to me that most major auto companies are covering their bets...I mean if twin turbo small displacement engines were the wave of the future, just dropping the Eco-Boost V6 out of the SHO into the Mustang would have been the way to go. And as much as I love inline 6's, they are not evenly remotely on anyones product list except BMW's
toxic_science says:
10:23 AM, 08/27/10
Sorry guys but I found a 3.0L engine making 333 hp
2011 3.0 liter 333 hp V6....and the winner is Porsche Cayenne
blueguydotcom says:
10:27 AM, 08/27/10
Toxic,
Um... you sure?
http://www.insideline.com/porsche/cayenne/2011/2011-porsche-cayenne-v6-first-drive.html
3.6 liter not a 3.0.
blueguydotcom says:
10:30 AM, 08/27/10
@toxic,
Maybe you meant the 3.0 supercharged V6 hybrid in the Cayenne?
http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1045289_first-drive-2011-porsche-cayenne-hybrid
toxic_science says:
10:30 AM, 08/27/10
Oh yeah...not a US spec engine..
Porsche Cayenne (957) engines
2002-2006 3.2 liter 250 hp V6
2002-2006 4.5 liter 340 hp V8
2002-2006 4.5 liter 450 hp V8 bi-turbo
2002-2006 4.5 liter 521 hp V8 bi-turbo
2007 3.6 liter 290 hp V6 (Direct Fuel Injection)
2007 4.8 liter 385 hp V8 (DFI)
2008 4.8 liter 405 hp V8 (DFI)
2007 4.8 liter 500 hp V8 bi-turbo (DFI)
2007 4.8 liter 540 hp V8 bi-turbo (DFI) (Cayenne Turbo optional engine tuning; not available in all countries)
2008 4.8 liter 550 hp V8 bi-turbo (DFI)
2009 3.0 liter 240 hp V6 turbocharged Diesel engine (Same engine as Q7/Touareg 3.0 TDI with 7 hp more)
2011 3.0 liter 240 hp V6 turbocharged diesel
2011 3.0 liter 333 hp V6
2011 3.6 liter 300 hp V6
2011 4.8 liter 400 hp V8 (DFI)
2011 4.8 liter 500 hp V8 bi-turbo (DFI)
toxic_science says:
10:36 AM, 08/27/10
The 3.0 hybrid is listed at 380 hp on the porsche website but I think you're right...the listing wasn't updated to include the supercharger...
My bad...sorry guys...
Engine layout Front Engine / All Wheel Drive
Cylinders 6
Displacement 3.0 liter
Horsepower Combustion engine: 245 kW (333 hp) Electric machine: 34 kW (47 hp)Total system:279 kW (380 hp)
@ rpm Combustion engine: 5,500 - 6,500 1/min Electric machine: > 1,150 1/min Total system: 5,500 1/min
Torque Combustion engine: 440 Nm Electric machine: 300 Nm Total system: 580 Nm
Compression ratio 10.5 : 1
bimmerjay says:
11:09 AM, 08/27/10
@allthingshonda,
"Those N54 engines always had a problem with high oil temperatures and those vehicles don't have any oil temperature indicators with the exception of a complete shut down of the engine when temps got over 300 degrees as a last resort measure. Continued use at high temps will definitely cause increased engine wear. If you pay attention to details you will notice that all new N55 equipped cars have an oil temp gauge. "
That is not true. ALL N54-equipped cars have been fitted with a real oil temp gauge in place of the instant MPG gauge since the engine debuted in 2006 on the 2007 MY 3-Series. Also, beginning with March 2007 production they were also fitted with secondary external oil coolers, previously only manual transmission'ed and ZSP-equipped models had it. The N54 high-oil temp issue was a problem only on early builds without this secondary cooler and under heavy, high ambient temp use. The problem was fixed with the added oil cooling capacity.
cmike2780 says:
01:31 PM, 08/27/10
Just for arguments sake, the older Mazda Rotary 20B ( I think 2.0 L) has been know to exceed the 300hp without turbo's. The rumored 16X is also said to reach at least the 300hp mark. I'll believe that when I see it.
spdracerut says:
02:00 PM, 08/27/10
Coco, Ford could have put the Ecoboost 3.5L V6 in the Mustang, and I believe they have designed it, if not actually tested it. They would use the same basic package that's going into the next F150.
However, I see two reasons for them not having done so, so far: the Mustang crowd WANTS a V8, period. Also, if Ford offered the current 3.7L V6, the Ecoboost, and the V8, well.... it would look bad if the Ecoboost outperformed the V8. That would be a simple matter of a retune with increased boost.
Same thing with the BMW 335. Many people feel the N54 engine was signficantly underrated. Also, retuned 335 engines put down good power. As in, M3 territory power. Not to mention, a lot more torque and midrange. It doesn't look good when the 'lesser' car has the power of the premium level model.
dat2 says:
02:16 PM, 08/27/10
The Nismo 370Z is making 350 hp from a 3.7 liter N/A V-6. That's 95 hp/liter. Granted it doesn't put out near the torque of the turbo 3.0 BMW straight six. But still that's pretty impressive, and while it still puts out a usable dose of torque for DD.
koko12 says:
02:50 PM, 08/27/10
I don't have a problem with BMWs 6 cylinder turbo engines. What I do have a problem with is the level problems associated with these engines. Toyota and Nissan where using 3.0 turbo 6 cylinder engines 20 to 15 years ago, making similar power to todays BMWs and doing so with non of the issues BMW is having.
With Today's technology BMW should be making pretty much bulletproof engines.
wideturnone says:
04:47 AM, 08/28/10
@spdracerut, I knew the comparison to the suby and mitsu engines wasn't a good one and that using a turbo on just about any engine gives you the ability to push some serious hp/torque numbers. Of course, comparing the bmw to the volvo 2.5L turbo in the v70r is a more equal comparison. Volvo's 2.5L I5, without direct injection, makes 295 lb-ft of torque at 1950rpm and 120hp/L. There is also room, as I'm sure there is in the N55, to get more out of the engine.
@majin_ssj_eric, BMW's old 333hp na engine was at it's max - without serious modification you couldn't get much more out of it and its torque number was nowhere near what you get with pressurization.
jmcbmw says:
03:09 PM, 08/28/10
I am just guessing that "Twin Power Turbo" stands for (single) Turbo+Direct Injection w/ Valvetronic (which is new to this engine). Knowing BMW, this would seem to make sense (at least coming from them!)
jmcbmw says:
03:13 PM, 08/28/10
Twin Power Turbo could also be because of the twin scroll turbo charger as Neilibob says but doesn't a single turbo w/ direct injection and valvetronic also offer the possibility to saw "TwinPower"?
swedishiron1 says:
05:48 PM, 08/28/10
Volvo's INLINE SIX Twin Scroll without DI will put out equal HP and MUCH more Torque than this....S80 T6 AWD it is.
magbarn says:
08:56 AM, 08/29/10
wedishiron1 says:
05:48 PM, 08/28/10
Volvo's INLINE SIX Twin Scroll without DI will put out equal HP and MUCH more Torque than this....S80 T6 AWD it is.
Are you comparing Nm to lb feet? I can't find a STOCK T6 that has more torque than the N55.
Also, why are so many posters putting up the usual "I know so and so smaller displacement motor putting out the same power"
-What's the mpg on these motors?
-How's the NVH
-What's the POWERBAND like
-these luxury cars don't need engines with a peak torque/hp band in the 4000-5000 range only.
topheezy says:
10:59 AM, 08/29/10
The n55 is a good base engine for this car. It's a luxury car befitting a small v8. What BMW has done is take the venerable straight six and add new tech to it to make it a good alternative to a small v8, complete with the smoothness, quietness, and torque but also with a dollop of extra mileage. It's not a sports car and the engine is not a sports car engine. That's not to say that it not sporty. The n54 is the best engine for the Bimmers with the "is" suffix because it is a sporty engine for sporty cars. And the 3.7 in the new mustang is the perfect engine for that car. Put Ford's 3.7 in a BMW and you'd be doing a disservice to both Ford and BMW.
swedishiron1 says:
03:31 PM, 08/29/10
@magbarn - ALL 2011 Volvo T6 is the US Market are 325LB of torque,(2100 RPM in the 2011 S60), 300HP WITHOUT direct injection; My experience with Volvo engines are that they will last a lot longer than BMW engines and without DI won't suffer the high fuel dilution issues that DI engines suffer that cause oil to breakdown prematurely leading to even greater engine wear.
xorbe says:
08:42 PM, 08/30/10
N55, it is what is it. The N54 has the headroom. The same marketing for twin-turbo and twin-scroll is suspect at best though.
mrcardio says:
02:37 PM, 09/22/10
Why did this 2011 BMW 535i / N55 motor put down lower numbers?
- Bad fuel?
- Heat soaks?
- Automatic transmission?
Could have been anything but all I know is that I've seen plenty of N55 DYNO's that show it's just as and in many cases more powerful than the N54. Car and Driver tested a new 2011 BMW 335i sedan with the N55 and achieved the same acceleration numbers up to 1/4 mile with the N55 being almost a full second ahead by 140mph. The N55 is not lacking anything compared to the outgoing N54, it has been improved upon.
And people are actually trying to compare the Mustangs V6 to BMW's N55? That's laughable, for one the N55 is way under-rated, makes a lot more torque and pulls hard from roughly 1200 to ~6000rpms. The true crank power figure for BMW’s N55 is closer to 330hp/ 340ft-lb tq@1200-5200rpms. The Mustangs 3.7l V6 pales by comparison.